Surface Finish

Paper comes in multiple Surface Finishes, most of which fall under the category of either Gloss or Matte. Gloss finishes have a high shine and generally produce rich colors, clarity, and sheen that resemble traditional photo lab paper. Matte finishes are softer and non-reflective.

Sheet Amount

Double Sided Printing

Double Sided Printing indicates whether a type of paper is suitable for double sided (duplex) printing. Papers suitable for double sided printing will be heavier (thicker) to accommodate more ink, brighter, and are often acid-free.

Weight

Weight indicates the thickness of paper and is commonly expressed in grams per square meter (gsm). In general, heavier (thicker) paper allows less light to pass through, is more durable, produces crisper text, and has less ink bleed.

Acid Free

Acid Free (Alkaline) paper is produced without the bleaching agents, materials, and coatings found in acid paper. Advantages of acid free paper include longer permanence, as well as enhanced brightness and opacity. Disadvantages includes incompatibility with certain acid-based press systems.

Thickness

The Thickness of a sheet of paper is its caliper. Measured in thousands of an inch (mil) or points, paper thickness indicates the amount of ink coverage a sheet of paper can accommodate. In general, photo papers tend to be thicker, as they must accommodate greater ink coverage.

Brightness

The Brightness of paper affects the quality of the images printed on it. In particular, it impacts color vibrancy. Typically, brightness is expressed on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher numbers meaning more brightness. In general, higher quality prints have a brightness rating of 95 and above.